Logistics Matters with DC VELOCITY

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The editors of DC VELOCITY magazine bring you weekly updates on logistics, material handling, and supply chain news.

  1. 6D AGO

    Guest: Amanda Hedberg of Aspire on training workers with disabilities for warehouse jobs; The commercial real estate market; Turning uncertainty into an advantage

    Our guest on this week's episode is Amanda Hedberg, vice president of Strategic Initiatives at Aspire, a Chicago non-profit organization that works to place people with disabilities into the labor market. October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month. This yearly event began in 1945 and is now commemorating 80 years of acknowledging the good work that people with mental and physical disabilities bring to their jobs, including work within our supply chains. Hedberg shares how t Aspire trains people with disabilities find meaningful work, including employment in warehouses.  Our DC Velocity editorial staff spent the week at CSCMP EDGE conference in National Harbor, Maryland, near the nation’s capital. On today's podcast we will talk about what we learned there: Ben shares about a session on the market for industrial real estate, which includes warehouses and fulfillment centers. According to the speakers, the U.S. right now has more unused logistics space available for rent in the industrial real estate market than at any time in U.S. history. We explained how the market got to that point and what is being done to better utilize the abundant space. Ben also shares about another session on the rise of the “synthetic workforce,” which is a term for increasing applications in artificial intelligence, and specifically agentic AI. Speakers stressed that the Synthetic Workforce is not just on the horizon but is already here.  Victoria shares about a session presented by Per Kristian Hong, a global lead at management consulting firm Kearney. His talk was titled “Harnessing Uncertainty: Global Supply Chains in an Era of Geopolitical Disruption.” His central message was that these turbulent times we’re experiencing are the norm and that supply chain leaders need to recalibrate and move from forecasting to foresight. Supply Chain Xchange  also offers a podcast series called Supply Chain in the Fast Lane.  It is co-produced with the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals. A new series is now available on Top Threats to our Supply Chains. It covers topics including Geopolitical Risks, Economic Instability, Cybersecurity Risks, Threats to energy and electric grids; Supplier Risks, and Transportation Disruptions  Go to your favorite podcast platform to subscribe and to listen to past and future episodes. The podcast is also available at www.thescxchange.com. Articles and resources mentioned in this episode: American Logistics Aid Network (ALAN)Report: Tariffs reshape sourcingGen-Z consumers drive change in e-commerce patternsVisit Supply Chain XchangeListen to CSCMP and Supply Chain Xchange's Supply Chain in the Fast Lane podcastSend feedback about this podcast to podcast@agilebme.com This podcast episode is sponsored by: Duravant Integrated Solutions Other links About DC VELOCITYSubscribe to DC VELOCITYSign up for our FREE newslettersAdvertise with DC VELOCITY

    22 min

  2. OCT 3

    Guest: Sean Daley of Sphera on shifts in EPA regulations; Creative ways to adapt to tariffs; Chinese robots are on the move

    Our guest on this week's episode is Sean Daley, director of sustainability consulting at Sphera. Among the many changes happening in Washington is a reprioritizing of environmental issues. The Environmental Protection Agency is among many of the government agencies that has undergone dramatic policy changes. Our guest discusses those changes and how to prepare for shifting EPA regulations.   The world has been experiencing America’s new trade policies and the rollout of tariffs for nearly seven months now and we are starting to see their effect on imports, including some creative ways that some companies are adapting, including the use of "B2B2C" shipments. Accelerated growth in China’s mobile robotics market over the past 10 years is giving way to globalization strategies as Chinese companies face growing economic pressures at home. Many of these Chinese mobile robotics companies are trying to expand their reach to customers in Europe and North America, in particular.  Supply Chain Xchange  also offers a podcast series called Supply Chain in the Fast Lane.  It is co-produced with the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals. A new series is now available on Top Threats to our Supply Chains. It covers topics including Geopolitical Risks, Economic Instability, Cybersecurity Risks, Threats to energy and electric grids; Supplier Risks, and Transportation Disruptions  Go to your favorite podcast platform to subscribe and to listen to past and future episodes. The podcast is also available at www.thescxchange.com. Articles and resources mentioned in this episode: SpheraU.S. recession not imminent but, economic momentum is clearly slowingReport: China's mobile robotics vendors go globalVisit Supply Chain XchangeListen to CSCMP and Supply Chain Xchange's Supply Chain in the Fast Lane podcastSend feedback about this podcast to podcast@agilebme.com This podcast episode is sponsored by: Duravant Integrated Solutions Other links About DC VELOCITYSubscribe to DC VELOCITYSign up for our FREE newslettersAdvertise with DC VELOCITY

    19 min

  3. SEP 26

    Guest: Kathy Fulton of the American Logistics Aid Network on 20 years of being there for others; Tariffs force changes in sourcing; New drivers of e-commerce

    Our guest on this week's episode is Kathy Fulton, executive director of the American Logistics Aid Network (ALAN). Twenty years ago last month, Hurricane Katrina ravaged the Gulf Coast, leaving in its wake an estimated $125 billion dollars of damage and countless lives changed. It was during this catastrophe that a group logisticians had an idea - and ALAN, the American Logistics Aid Network, was born. Our guest shares the work of ALAN and reflects on the organization’s past 20 years of service to the world during times of crisis. The changing trade landscape that supply chains have experienced this year are continuing to impact where around the world products are manufactured and then sourced into the United States. And now it seems that small businesses are playing a larger role when it comes to sourcing, as companies continue to deal with the ups and downs of tariffs. This is according to a report from sourcing solutions provider Supplier.io, released this week.  New research shows that e-commerce is swiftly becoming more complex than just the classic image of using your laptop to order from a website and have a product shipped to your home. Geopost, a large French last-mile and parcel delivery firm,  surveyed customers across 22 European countries for an annual study on e-commerce trends. They found that sector is changing fast, in large part because of the influence of Gen Z consumers. We tell you what differences this generation is making on online shopping. Supply Chain Xchange  also offers a podcast series called Supply Chain in the Fast Lane.  It is co-produced with the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals. A new series is now available on Top Threats to our Supply Chains. It covers topics including Geopolitical Risks, Economic Instability, Cybersecurity Risks, Threats to energy and electric grids; Supplier Risks, and Transportation Disruptions  Go to your favorite podcast platform to subscribe and to listen to past and future episodes. The podcast is also available at www.thescxchange.com. Articles and resources mentioned in this episode: American Logistics Aid Network (ALAN)Report: Tariffs reshape sourcingGen-Z consumers drive change in e-commerce patternsVisit Supply Chain XchangeListen to CSCMP and Supply Chain Xchange's Supply Chain in the Fast Lane podcastSend feedback about this podcast to podcast@agilebme.com This podcast episode is sponsored by: Duravant Integrated Solutions Other links About DC VELOCITYSubscribe to DC VELOCITYSign up for our FREE newslettersAdvertise with DC VELOCITY

    28 min

  4. SEP 19

    Guest: Doug Cantriel of Ford on the automaker's future focus; The priorities of online shoppers; Zebra earns its stripes

    Our guest on this week's episode is Doug Cantriel, the head of North American transportation for the Ford Motor Company’s Customer Service Division. Accurately delivering more than 400,000 parts every night to 3,000-plus Ford automotive dealers is complex work. Charged with this daily task is the team led by Cantriel. They manage the delivery of parts from suppliers to packagers, distribution centers, and then finally to the dealers. Cantriel will be a keynote speaker at this year’s EDGE conference in Washington DC that begins on October 5.  Amid economic uncertainty and high prices, consumers are looking for a cost-conscious, seamless online shopping experience in 2025. That’s according to data from Ryder System, Inc. The information comes from the company’s 11th annual benchmark study on U.S. shopping behaviors, preferences and expectations, and it aims to help brands and retailers optimize their omnichannel sales and supply chain strategies.  Ben Ames attended the Zebra conference this week in Nashville, where Zebra executives said the company is moving beyond that pure data collection function  to a broader umbrella function of analyzing the data their devices collect and finding better efficiencies across the entire supply chain enterprise. In their game plan, they will provide not just asset visibility, but also a connection to frontline workers, and ultimately, intelligent automation.   Supply Chain Xchange  also offers a podcast series called Supply Chain in the Fast Lane.  It is co-produced with the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals. A new series is now available on Top Threats to our Supply Chains. It covers topics including Geopolitical Risks, Economic Instability, Cybersecurity Risks, Threats to energy and electric grids; Supplier Risks, and Transportation Disruptions  Go to your favorite podcast platform to subscribe and to listen to past and future episodes. The podcast is also available at www.thescxchange.com. Articles and resources mentioned in this episode: Ford Motor CompanyE-commerce study: Shoppers prioritize cost-savings flexibilityVisit Supply Chain XchangeListen to CSCMP and Supply Chain Xchange's Supply Chain in the Fast Lane podcastSend feedback about this podcast to podcast@agilebme.com This podcast episode is sponsored by: DHL Supply Chain Other links About DC VELOCITYSubscribe to DC VELOCITYSign up for our FREE newslettersAdvertise with DC VELOCITY

    23 min

  5. SEP 12

    Guest: Clete Cordero on progress on the new freight classifications; Assuring cargo safety in ocean freight: Procurement under pressure

    Our guest on this week's episode is Clete Cordero, vice president of pricing and traffic at Southeastern Freight Lines. He is also chairman of the National Motor Freight Traffic Association (NMFTA). In July, NMFTA introduced a new system of freight classification to the trucking industry. The new system is design to streamline freight classes by basing it shipments on density and dimensions rather than on commodity type. Our guest shares how the industry is responding to the new classification system and how both shippers and carriers are adapting to it. A lot of people in transportation and logistics this week have seen the video of a shipping container accident at the Port of Long Beach, where several stacks of containers tumbled off a ship that had recently arrived at the port. Coincidently this week, a new report from the World Shipping Council urges stronger safety measures for ocean cargo. We discuss the areas where more safety is needed and what's behind the current problems. A challenging business climate is placing increased strain on procurement departments—and it’s slowing their ability to respond quickly and manage risk. This is according to a report from procurement software company Oro Labs. The research findings come from the company’s inaugural State of Enterprise Procurement Ability Report. We share some of the report's findings.   Supply Chain Xchange  also offers a podcast series called Supply Chain in the Fast Lane.  It is co-produced with the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals. A new series is now available on Top Threats to our Supply Chains. It covers topics including Geopolitical Risks, Economic Instability, Cybersecurity Risks, Threats to energy and electric grids; Supplier Risks, and Transportation Disruptions  Go to your favorite podcast platform to subscribe and to listen to past and future episodes. The podcast is also available at www.thescxchange.com. Articles and resources mentioned in this episode: Southeastern Freight LinesNational Motor Freight Traffic Association (NMFTA)WSC flags gaps in cargo safety checks for ocean freightReport: Procurement under pressureVisit Supply Chain XchangeListen to CSCMP and Supply Chain Xchange's Supply Chain in the Fast Lane podcastSend feedback about this podcast to podcast@agilebme.com This podcast episode is sponsored by: DHL Supply Chain Other links About DC VELOCITYSubscribe to DC VELOCITYSign up for our FREE newslettersAdvertise with DC VELOCITY

    20 min

  6. SEP 5

    Guest: John Lash of e2open on what the end of the de minimis exemption means to shippers; Is the EV market mature; Measuring supply chain performance

    Our guest on this week's episode is John Lash, group vice president of product strategy at e2open. Last week the de minimis exemption ended. This tariff exemption applied to imports on low-value goods. Our guest shares how its loss will affect supply chains and impact small importers in particular. Will this limit consumer choice? There was some steady movement in recent years for adopting electric vehicles, but now with course changes in Washington, it seems that EVs have hit some speed bumps. While growth continues, it has slowed compared to adoption in other countries. We look at both the growth of both electric automobiles and industrial trucks and the factors affecting the advancement of EVs in the American market.  How do supply chain managers measure performance and try to get a little better year after year? And how do you measure your contractors’ performance and make sure they meet your standards? The answer is often KPIs, key performance indicators. It’s a way to pick a measurable part of the process that you put a number on, and track its progress. But it turns out that various sectors throughout the economy use KPIs in different ways to measure and improve their supply chain performance.    Supply Chain Xchange  also offers a podcast series called Supply Chain in the Fast Lane.  It is co-produced with the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals. A new series is now available on Top Threats to our Supply Chains. It covers topics including Geopolitical Risks, Economic Instability, Cybersecurity Risks, Threats to energy and electric grids; Supplier Risks, and Transportation Disruptions  Go to your favorite podcast platform to subscribe and to listen to past and future episodes. The podcast is also available at www.thescxchange.com. Articles and resources mentioned in this episode: e2openReport: U.S. EV market matures despite headwindsRXO says use of KPIs varies by industry sectorVisit Supply Chain XchangeListen to CSCMP and Supply Chain Xchange's Supply Chain in the Fast Lane podcastSend feedback about this podcast to podcast@agilebme.com This podcast episode is sponsored by: DHL Supply Chain Other links About DC VELOCITYSubscribe to DC VELOCITYSign up for our FREE newslettersAdvertise with DC VELOCITY

    22 min

  7. AUG 29

    Guest: Scott Cornell of Travelers with tips on protecting food in transit; Hopes for the upcoming peak season; Can truckload rebound?

    Our guest on this week's episode is Scott Cornell, vice president of transportation at Travelers. Summer will soon be wrapping up, but the heat of summer will be around for a few more weeks yet, at least. Too much of that heat can destroy food and other products while they are in transit. How can we protect temperature-controlled cargo? We have some tips.  As we approach peak season, a new survey shows that the supply chain sector is actually feeling more confident in their fulfillment systems for 2025 than they were in 2024. The research shows that 84% expressed confidence in their fulfillment systems for 2025, compared to the 70% of executives who entered peak season confident last year. Conditions in the truckload freight market have remained stable this year but coming peak-season shipping activity is likely to test that stability. This is according to some recent data from freight brokerage RXO, which released its latest quarterly Curve report earlier this month. We share the results of that research and what it may mean for pricing and truckload capacity.   Supply Chain Xchange  also offers a podcast series called Supply Chain in the Fast Lane.  It is co-produced with the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals. A new series is now available on Top Threats to our Supply Chains. It covers topics including Geopolitical Risks, Economic Instability, Cybersecurity Risks, Threats to energy and electric grids; Supplier Risks, and Transportation Disruptions  Go to your favorite podcast platform to subscribe and to listen to past and future episodes. The podcast is also available at www.thescxchange.com. Articles and resources mentioned in this episode: Travelers Special Investigations GroupSurvey shows supply chain pros are confident for peak season 2025Report reveals measured truckload market recoveryVisit Supply Chain XchangeListen to CSCMP and Supply Chain Xchange's Supply Chain in the Fast Lane podcastSend feedback about this podcast to podcast@agilebme.comPodcast is sponsored by: DHL Supply Chain Other links About DC VELOCITYSubscribe to DC VELOCITYSign up for our FREE newslettersAdvertise with DC VELOCITY

    20 min

  8. AUG 22

    Guest: Chris Steiner of Dematic on installing automation in brownfield facilities; Keeping our highways safe; The rise of humanoid robots

    Our guest on this week's episode is Chris Steiner, senior vice president of product management at Dematic. In the past, automation was often viewed as nice to have. But in these days of customer expectations for speed and shortages of available workers, automation is now a "must have." We often think of automation just being placed into shiny new facilities, but a lot can be done to automate existing legacy facilities. Our guests shares about the benefits of implementations in existing "brownfield" facilities and suggests tips for making them successful.  The trucking industry is asking the federal government to accelerate recent efforts to ensure safety on the nation’s highways; this is in reaction to a Florida crash involving a freight truck making an illegal U-turn on an interstate. The crash left three people dead. Trucking organizations are asking to suspend states’ authority to issue non-domiciled CDLs (commercial driving licenses), which some states provide to non-U.S. citizens or out-of-state applicants under certain circumstances. The driver involved in the deadly crash had this type of CDL. Robotics technology has been developing really quickly in recent years, and it’s been finding new applications in logistics. One of the newest areas where this is happening is in humanoid robots, which move around walking on two legs instead of rolling on wheels, and use two arms to grab totes and boxes. This week we saw some news about one of the latest advancements in the area, which is using artificial intelligence to allow them to learn new skills or movements from demonstrations by humans, instead of by following software code. Supply Chain Xchange  also offers a podcast series called Supply Chain in the Fast Lane.  It is co-produced with the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals. A new series is now available on Top Threats to our Supply Chains. It covers topics including Geopolitical Risks, Economic Instability, Cybersecurity Risks, Threats to energy and electric grids; Supplier Risks, and Transportation Disruptions  Go to your favorite podcast platform to subscribe and to listen to past and future episodes. The podcast is also available at www.thescxchange.com. Articles and resources mentioned in this episode: DematicIndustry praises fed highway safety efforts but asks for moreBoston Dynamics upgrades AI for its walking robotVisit Supply Chain XchangeListen to CSCMP and Supply Chain Xchange's Supply Chain in the Fast Lane podcastSend feedback about this podcast to podcast@agilebme.comPodcast is sponsored by: Storage Solutions Other links About DC VELOCITYSubscribe to DC VELOCITYSign up for our FREE newslettersAdvertise with DC VELOCITY

    21 min
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About

The editors of DC VELOCITY magazine bring you weekly updates on logistics, material handling, and supply chain news.

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  • Creator
    AGiLE Business Media
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2025
  • Episodes
    274
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2025 Logistics Matters with DC VELOCITY
  • Show Website
    Logistics Matters with DC VELOCITY

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